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Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 165, by DERBY & MILLER, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York.

30

TH OF

ARR

HAN

LINCOLN

APRIL

4191

1866

feet high, upon which rested the mahogany coffin, covered with flowers-the last sad offerings of affection—in which the body was placed for its final rest. The funeral services took place on Wednesday the 19th, and were beld in the East Room. They were attended by representatives of every department of the Government, and were exceedingly impressive and touching. The guard of honor, which had watched over the remains of the illustrious dead, still maintained its place, with MajorGeneral Hunter at its head. Nearest the coffin sat the relatives of the President-his children and his wife's connections-his widow being too utterly prostrated by her grief to leave her room. Deputations from different sections of the country,-Governors of States, Members of the Senate and House of Representatives,-the Heads of the several Executive Departments, with their assist ants and clerks, the diplomatic corps and their attachés, the Judges of the Supreme and the local Courts, representatives from the Sanitary and Christian Commissionsthese and many others, whom respect for the departed President had brought to his funeral, entered the room and took the places assigned them. At twelve o'clock, ANDREW JOHNSON, who had become, in consequence of this murder, President of the United States, came forward, followed by all the members of the Cabinet, except Mr. Seward, Secretary of State, who lay unconscious of the fate of his beloved and revered chief, himself the prostrate victim of the same daring and remorseless crime. Rev. Dr. Hall, of the Episcopal Church in Washington, read the Episcopal Service for the Dead; a fervent prayer was offered by Bishop Simpson of the Methodist Church, and a funeral discourse was pronounced by Rev. Dr. Gurley, pastor of the new Presbyterian Church in New York Avenue, which the President and his family were in the habit of attending. At the conclusion of the sermon, the Chaplain of the Senate, Rev. Dr. Gray, made a prayer, and the religious ceremonies were closed. The body of the President was then removed and placed upon the lofty hearse, surmounted by

a canopy, and covered with black velvet, which stood in front of the Executive Mansion.

At two o'clock the grand procession started. Pennsyl vania Avenue was completely cleared, from the Executive Mansion to the Capitol. Every window along its whole length-all the roofs of all the houses-the sidewalks, and every accessible spot along the route, were crowded with a living throng, awaiting in sad and oppressive silence the approach of the funeral-car. The soft, sad strains of funereal music soon broke the stillness of the summer air, and marshalled the grand military cortège which led the way. Then came the hearse, drawn by six gray horses, draped in black, and preceded by twenty pall-bearers, selected from both Houses of Congress, from the Army and Navy, and from civil life, and followed by a great throng of the most eminent officers of the Government, and of deputations from every State and section of the country, and from benevolent, industrial, and political societies throughout the land. Filling Pennsylvania Avenue through its whole extent, this great procession— marshalled with military precision, and marching to the cadence of slow music from many bands-escorted, with becoming pomp, the remains of the martyred President to the National Capitol, which rose in white grandeur, clad, from basement to the summit of its lordly dome, with garments of woe, to receive the precious gift. The whole vast building was draped in black. All the pillars were entwined with crape,-from all the windows hung emblems of mourning, and a black canopy surmounted the Eastern door, by which the great concourse was to enter. Minute-guns from all the forts around the city thundered forth their sad salutations,-the bells from every tower and spire rang out in muffled tones their chronicle of the stately march. At a little after three o'clock the military cortège, which led the procession, entered the open space in front of the Eastern entrance. Filing past in proper order, the infantry, wheeling, faced the Capitol,—the artil lery took position on the hill opposite the entrance,--the cavalry remained in the street, and a great throng of

spectators gazed in silence upon the grand display. As the funeral-car approached, all the military bands burst into a solemn requiem,--the artillery thundered out their stormy greeting,-the vast crowd, as by a common impulse, uncovered,--and as Rev. Dr. Gurley, in deep and impressive tones, recited the grand sentences in which the Church signalizes the departure of her dead, the body of President Lincoln was borne into the rotunda and placed upon the lofty catafalque prepared for its reception. As the recitation closed, President Johnson entered the hall, followed by several Senators. Captain Robert Lincoln and the family relatives came forward. The President's body-guard formed in double column near the body. Dr. Gurley made a closing prayer and pronounced the benediction. All then left the Rotunda: guards were stationed at all the doors. General Augur and his staff took charge of the remains, and with drawn swords the officers detailed for the service mounted guard over them. As night came on, the jets of gas concealed in the height of the dome were lighted up, and cast their softened glare upon the vigil that was kept below.

The body of the President remained in the Rotunda, exposed to public view, during the night of the 19th, and until nine o'clock at night of the succeeding day. Thousands upon thousands visited the Capital to take a last look at his features, and among them were many wounded soldiers, hobbling from the hospitals, to gaze for the last time upon the face of the late Commander-in-Chief. A guard of honor remained during the night, and at six o'clock on the morning of the 21st, the members of the Cabinet and distinguished officers of the army, and many members of Congress, paid their final visit to the remains. The coffin was then prepared for removal, and closed.

It had been decided to transfer the President's remains to Springfield, Illinois, the place of his residence, for final interment; and the original purpose had been to make the transit as rapidly as was convenient, and without exposure of the body to public view. But this design could not be carried out. From every city and town

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